Snooze button.
Again. 5 more minutes.
If you are anything like me, it can be a challenge to get your day started due to grogginess, lack of sleep from the night before, or simply a lack of motivation to get up and get moving.
Some days, we need an extra boost to kick-start the day. For many of us, that extra boost manifests through coffee. This is definitely a solution for a kick, as caffeine quite literally blocks the hormone that causes drowsiness, while simultaneously triggering dopamine receptors in the brain.
However, what if we started to trigger dopamine through our morning rituals and routines, rather than our reliance on a rapid rush of stimulants to the head?
We have some suggestions for you on how you can bring a little bit of a buzz to the beginning of your day.
Tend To Your Garden First Thing In The Morning
Let nature nurture you.
- If you have the tropical garden, mist it!
- If you have the concrete garden, dust it!
- If you have an outdoor garden, go water and weed it!
- If you have a growbag, water it, nurture it, feed it!
Start A Gratitude Practice.
Put your phone away and witness the growth that can be done for your mental health when you start your day with a gratitude practice.
I am ashamed to admit that the first thing I normally do when I rise is reach for my phone. However, due to the world we live and work in, we generally need our phones all day long! Why start the day with our phone tethered to our hand? During the COVID-19 lockdown, I started a gratitude journal. I would wake up, do some mindful breathing, and then open my journal and jot down a few things that I am grateful for. — Katie Yeagar
If checking your phone is your morning ritual when you first wake up, get into the habit of sending yourself a text message the night before of something you are grateful for. Take an excerpt from your own gratitude journal.
It is a great reminder of all of the good that is going on around you and can alleviate anxiety, as well as be grounding to keep you mentally strong throughout your day.
Wake Up With The Sun And Go Spend Time Outside
Studies have proven that morning sunlight is a great way to wake your body up. When we are exposed to natural light first thing in the morning, our minds and bodies work in unison to tell each other that it is now daytime and it is time to wake up.
Additionally, scientists have found that gaining sunlight in the early morning light, in the afternoon, and the dusk hours, right as the sun is beginning to set, can be great for your mind, body, and eyes in gaining better, more sound, and more productive sleep. Get those ZzzZZz’s by getting some sun!
Add Citrus or Fresh Herbs To Your Water in the Morning
Add some pizzazz to your water! If you put some parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme in your water, chances are you will end up drinking more water – it adds a little bit of fun!
Try Gentle Movement
A nice morning stroll, sun salutations, or even a full-on workout class can be great ways to kick start the day. Just like morning sunlight, movement in the morning can be a way for your body to tell your mind that it is time to wake up!
I am a huge advocate for yoga – I practice almost every day and have actually recently become certified to teach, as well. Oftentimes I wake up and go straight to a yoga class. Although yes, I am rather tired when I first begin and would rather do anything than leave the sanctuary that my bed is, there is never a day I regret starting my day this way. I leave feeling grateful, energized, and ready to take on the day.
Studies have shown that morning movement can actually aid with concentration and cognition throughout the day – work has nothing on you after movement! Furthermore, many times we tell ourselves we are going to do something to move our bodies after an eight hour workday of sitting at desks, hunched over, and typing.
But, the reality of the matter is that eight hours of a sedentary situation can actually wear us out way more than waking up at 6 am ever could (which makes total sense and we understand completely), but we never make it on our run, walk, or to the gym. Get it done in the morning! As they say, the early bird gets the worm!
We are looking forward to hearing how you like to kickstart your day or if you try out any of these tips!
Kickstart your day and kick some butt!
You’ve got this!